NHK "Park Jin coordinating three-day visit to Japan from 18th... Likely to meet Kishida"

Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Foreign Minister Park Jin is reportedly coordinating a schedule to visit Japan for three days starting on the 18th, where he will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and hold talks with Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, NHK reported on the 14th citing government sources.

If this schedule is confirmed, it will be Minister Park's first visit to Japan since taking office. During his visit, Minister Park is expected to broadly discuss bilateral issues, including the issue of victims of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule, in talks with Foreign Minister Hayashi. He is also likely to convey condolences for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot and killed during an election campaign on the 8th.

NHK evaluated that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, launched in May, is showing enthusiasm for improving Korea-Japan relations, stating, "A public-private consultative body (to seek solutions to the compensation issue for victims of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule) has been formed this month (in Korea) and discussions are underway, so the focus is on how Minister Park will explain this to Japan during his visit."

Earlier, on the 11th, after visiting the domestic memorial altar for former Prime Minister Abe, Minister Park told reporters regarding his visit to Japan, "Considering Japan's domestic situation, I expect the visit to take place at a mutually convenient time." Originally, Minister Park's visit to Japan was expected to take place at the end of last month but was postponed due to Japan's House of Councillors election schedule.